


Queen of the Dark Things

by MareenaVee



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Humor, Awkward Flirting, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Fluff, F/M, Magic-Users, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Witchcraft, wild magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2019-03-15 10:35:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13611582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MareenaVee/pseuds/MareenaVee
Summary: Andromeda Jones gives up a life in Zuzu city, bone-tired of fighting against Joja Corp's low pay and poor career mobility to live in Stardew Valley on an ancient looking farm which happens to be infested with monsters after sundown.She doesn't mind the darkness or the monsters so much after some time, and eventually finds out she has a gift for the abundant natural magic all around her.Not everyone appreciates that kind of lifestyle, but when Andi stumbles into someone who does, somehow her world changes even more than she expected.





	1. First Night

**Author's Note:**

>  
> 
> _"To be sure, I am a forest, and a night of dark trees: but he who is not afraid of my darkness, will find banks full of roses under my cypresses."_  
>  **— Friedrich Nietzsche**  
> 

Andi adjusted her backpack on her shoulder. It was light for carrying everything she decided to take with her into her new life. She shivered; the pine trees cast shadows over her new property and already the light was getting dim. Mayor Lewis seemed in a rush to leave as the sun began to sink, excusing himself so abruptly, she thought it a bit rude. She sighed and thought it better not to blame him. This shack of a home was out in the middle of nowhere, sat right on the edge of a pond, with a thin forest that seemed to go on forever. In the distance, she could see the bats flitting across the lake that began at the right hand side of her horizon, and thought better of sitting on her porch to watch the sunset. She couldn't find a dagger or sword of any kind in the house and, with chills at the thought, wondered if the monsters were the reason nobody had taken up residence anywhere near the expanse of land willed to her by her grandfather. 

She ran her hands over the porch railing gingerly, as it was in bad repair. The carpenter, Robin, was one of her nearest neighbors to the north. She had offered to fix up the aesthetics in the next few days, but Andi had declined politely. She had about five hundred gold on her, a notebook and pen, some clothes, a few books, her laptop, and her cell phone and a few other tiny odds and ends. She couldn't afford to pay the nice lady for the work. Not that she had the money for service of any kind just yet – but she was hoping to change all that soon. She bent down to pull up her socks and slide out of her hiking boots before walking inside for the night. She let the laces drag a little, flinching when they hit her leg as she walked through her door. The place was scary, seeing it in such dim light like this. Before she shut the door, she bent down at the fireplace and was delighted to discover that plenty of firewood had already been stacked neatly inside, hidden in the floorboards behind a rack for the fire iron, slice bar and bellows. 

Even though Spring would fade fast enough into Summer, there was a bite in the air so close to the water and the mountains. The fire was wonderful, and her dinner didn't have to be half a soggy rotisserie chicken salad sandwich picked up from JoJa Gas and Convenience on the way out of Zuzu. She had a few sprigs of wheat and rye so generously included in her care package and crushed them in the old mortar and pestle stashed in the closet and made a quick and delicious pancake dinner. To be fair, it was a little bland, and the long wreaths of grain were likely meant to be hearth decorations – but she loved to cook. And that cute antique iron fireplace griddle all but sang to her as she sat in her grandfathers old rocking chair. The feeling of melancholy that had been building in her chest seeped out as she rocked gently by the fire. She could get used to this, she thought, half-grinning as she began to nod off to sleep. 

The light was completely gone when Andi woke to the sound of scratching on her door. The fire was down to embers hiding under a half-burnt log and she could barely see two feet in front of her nose. She felt panic rising in her throat as a low keening sound reverberated against the wooden siding of her house. 

_Monsters_ , she thought, beginning to lose control of her anxiety.

She fumbled in the pockets of her overalls and pulled out her phone. She dropped it clattering to her plate on the floor as she tried to unlock it with shaking hands. The keening ceased, but then resumed once again with more fervent scratching. She turned and shone the phone's flashlight through the bay window on the other side of the house. A chorus of shrieks erupted as smallish green golems staggered back, plants blooming from their heads in the light. In the distance, a pale woman stood with a manicured and elaborately-carved broom in her left hand. Her piercing green eyes seemed to stare right into Andi's own. Her stark white hair blew as if it had its own breeze. She lowered her head and when she looked up, her face was green and twisted. Her hair was sparse – greasy, stringy and black. Andi stepped back from the window in fear of her sudden transformation. The image of the grotesque figure almost burned into her eyes, but when she checked again, nothing was there. No golems, no witches, nothing. 

She rushed over to her door and checked all three locks. Nothing budged. Her heart was still racing. She forced herself to take three deep breaths. There was a lot of work to be done tomorrow and sleep had to come back to her quickly. She stoked the fire once more after calming down a bit and climbed into bed, setting her smartphone to wake her at sunrise. Part of her still worried she had indeed picked the wrong choice and would die here on this farm, broke and alone. The other part steeled itself against the tide, and reminded her that tomorrow would be a long and difficult day. She drifted into fitful sleep, internal anxiety yelling over her awkward images of monsters and witches that she had made a terrible mistake and would never be able to turn her life around. Soon enough, her soft snores filled the one-room cabin, banishing the shuffling of golem feet out in the yard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! First Stardew Valley fic here. I've been inspired by some phenomenal writers here on the site and I've been sitting on a few ideas for awhile now about my character and I hope you enjoy it! 
> 
> I don't get a chance to update super duper often due to a billion other projects, but comments, reviews, suggestions, etc -- all welcome! I'll answer any questions as fast as I can. I'm really making a goal to update once within every 10 days or so, or more if I post something short like this one.


	2. Greetings

Andi was awake before her alarm. The night before had left her with some trepidation about this endeavor, and she was procrastinating going outdoors to clear her new field and plant the parsnip seeds she received yesterday.

Standing on her front porch, she could see digs in the dirt where the grass golems had been. She took a few photos, and climbed down to touch the imprints, finding wild seeds here and there. She wasn't much but a hobbyist gardener, and could not tell what might grow from them, but she stored them away regardless. If she had her way, they'd have a chance to shine soon enough, and with luck, help the new farm prosper. 

Andi stood straight up, cracking her spine as she stretched. Little sleep and no coffee would make for difficult work in the calm spring sun. She debated how to start the day, opting to clear just a little bit of space for what seeds she had, and then head over to Pelican Town to find something to eat if she could. That, and it wouldn't be a bad idea to introduce herself. That part made her a little nervous. If even Mayor Lewis wanted nothing to do with this land, she couldn't imagine what other people would think of her living all the way out here by herself, if one could be counted alone what with the monsters ambling along in the darkness. She hugged her arms, popping the joints in her shoulders and neck, and got to work. 

With an exceptional amount of effort, she felled the five trees which immediately blocked the space in front of her house. The axe wasn't dull, but it wasn't as efficient as it could be, and it wore her out pretty quickly. Her curly black hair looked disheveled when she went in out of the sun. Dark circles were very visible under her light blue-green eyes, especially as a sunburn snaked its way across her otherwise pale face. She worried that people would think she looked like a mess. They wouldn't be wrong, of course, and logically she could just tell them how hard the farm work was. She took a moment to finish a bottle of water before heading out again to till the field and plant the parsnips. 

It wasn't much past noon when she finally had planted and watered every seed she could find – both the parsnips and the wild seeds strewn about her property. Her nails and clothes were caked with mud, so after a quick change and wash, she felt ready as she could to go out into town. 

It was a fairly nice walk, besides the eyesore of a broken down bus in its spot halfway to town. Procrastinating just a little, Andi stopped to pick some dandelions and even found a few fresh leeks peeking out of the soil on the path. She felt happy for the first time she could remember. The valley was so calm and forgiving in a way Zuzu city never was. Back there was heartache and hardship. Ahead could be friendship and hope – possibility. It all depended on her first few steps. 

As she rounded the corner, the dust path turned into cobblestones. The general store came into view pretty quickly, and Andi found Mayor Lewis poring over some notices stuck up on a bulletin board.

“Good afternoon, Mayor!” Andi said, trying to seem cheerful.

“Ah! Miss Andromeda Jones! Good to see you out and about. Did you have the chance to fill out the paperwork we left with you yesterday evening?” He asked as he stepped into the path and shook her hand when she approached. 

“I did just a few moments before I left, and that was part of the reason I decided to make the walk into town today,” She said, “And by the way, if it's easier, you can just call me Andi.”

Mayor Lewis nodded as he read the document – it was a 'doing business as' form for the farm – and grinned as he checked the name.

“Lunar Rose Farm,” he said, “Keeping with the name your Grandfather's Grandfather gave it. Very good. It warms my heart.”

“Yes, after the Fairy Roses we had once been famous for growing,” Andi said with a small melancholic smile, “Grandpa sent me one before every Spirit's Eve when I was little, before he passed.” 

“He was a great man, Miss Andi, he really was. And I think he'd be proud of you for starting out on your own like this. We're lucky to have you.”

Andi smiled at that, nodding slightly. 

“And that said, perhaps I should go meet the neighbors?” she asked, maybe a bit more apprehensively than she had intended. Mayor Lewis folded the documents for the farm and placed them in his shirt pocket. 

“It would be for the best. I know everyone's curious about the girl who took up the farm out in the middle of nowhere,” he said with a laugh. He walked away, waving goodbye.

Andi stood there, nervous both to stay on the cobblestones like a fool, and yet afraid to go on and meet so many new people. She looked around for some landmarks before she moved on. The general store and the clinic stood behind her. A short man with brown hair was unlocking a restaurant's doors across the square. A beautiful blue house stood framed in sunlight, looking down over a yard where a dog slept happily on its back in the warmth. The river sparkled as it wove around these properties, and a stone bridge provided a place to cross where a meager house stood marked Blacksmith and a flat, bright green building was marked Library.

Andi wandered to the doors of the general store. She had to buy a few seeds and something to cook anyway. The door was covered in paper artwork depicting flowers and butterflies, and little notices about different services available from the villagers spilled off of the bulletin board and onto the shop doors, mixed in among small advertisements for product the owner, Pierre, appeared to be carrying. She pushed open the glass doors apprehensively, and began browsing the shelves. In the city, people didn't talk to strangers. Only workers who were too new to know better or wanted a good commission check even asked shoppers if they needed help. Andi knew it would be less cold-hearted here, but she averted her gaze anyway, nervous of breaking some city taboo that probably didn't even exist here. 

“You must be the new farmer!” said the red-haired man at the till. He took his glasses off and wiped them on his shirt before walking over. He held out a hand. “I'm Pierre. This is my store. Welcome!”

“Uh, hi,” Andi said in a voice much too small for her liking, “I'm Andromed – just Andi, that's fine.”  
Pierre laughed a little and shook her hand enthusiastically, though she hadn't offered it.

“Well, Just Andi, welcome to Pelican Town. We were all so excited to meet you! It's so good to see you out today. I know the first day of the growing season can be tough.”

“Oh, absolutely,” she laughed, relaxing just a bit. “In fact I was here for some seeds. I don't have much money, but … I mean, we all start somewhere, right?”

Pierre laughed at that, and showed her around his store. He recommended some easier crops like potatoes and cauliflower, of which she bought several. He explained that the bean trellises would allow the vines to grow upwards and produce more beans, but she had to pass due to the price for just one starter pack. 

“I will, however, take a few tulip bulbs and blue jazz seeds. I love the flowers in the valley and they'd look so perfect near my house!” Andi said, examining the cute floral artwork lining the shelves.

Just then, the sound of heels clicking quickly over the floorboards echoed into the store, making Andi stand up straight to look over the displays. 

“Hey Dad, did you happen to see where Mom went?” said a girl with very purple hair. She wore layers of pendants, all with some crystal or another, plus an antiqued silver choker inlaid with a small faceted amethyst. She noticed Andi right away and beamed, walking toward her.

“Oh hello! I didn't see you there. My name's Abigail. Or Abby, for short if you please,” she said, taking Andi's hand to shake it without having been offered it. The people of Stardew Valley were certainly friendly, at least. 

“It's nice to meet you,” Andi said, and she meant it. She was, however, envying the blue jacket Abby was wearing and thinking great fashion was the one thing she missed in the city, “Great outfit, by the way! You look like an adventurer in the movies or something.” 

Abby laughed loudly at that, and curtsied just a little. She tossed her hair back and Andi noticed a tiny green and gold bow she was wearing. There was something strange about it, and the feeling she got from the golems on her farm came back in the pit of her stomach. She shook her head to clear her mind.

“Oh, everything okay, there, farmer?” Abby asked. 

“Yes,” Andi decided apprehensively, “It's only that I've worked so much already today and must have forgotten breakfast.” 

This was partially true, and just at the right moment, her stomach grumbled to prove her point.

“Come with me, if you like – I was going to ask my mom what she wanted for dinner, but I think we could grab something from the Stardrop if you want. And you might get a chance to meet my best friends, Sam and Sebastian. What do you think?”

“Abigail, that's a fine idea and kind of you to offer to help out nice Andi here, but let her at least buy her seeds before running off, alright?”

“My bad! I'm sorry, Andi, I'm sure you have a ton of work to get done,” Abby said with a slight sad look on her face.

“Oh no, it's totally fine! I'd be happy to get away from work. What time is dinner? Do I have time to go plant these?” Andi answered, barely able to hold up her armload of seed packets. Abby checked her watch, which had a violet face and shining silver hands, like tiny crystals. 

“Ah yes, we usually meet up around 4 or 5. I'll text Sam and see what he says. Do you want to exchange numbers just in case?”

“Of course. Thanks! I can't believe I've gotten to meet such good people so quickly. I'm really looking forward to dinner,” Andi said with a laugh. Her stomach grumbled again, and Abby laughed as well.

“Pay for those. I'll share some of the pumpkin pie mom made last night with you before you head back!”

“That's very kind of you. In Zuzu city, literally nobody would have offered to help me out.”

Abby walked back into the half of the building which was her house, arms spread out. 

“Welcome to the valley, city girl!” She laughed. Andi couldn't help but laugh, also, and began to feel silly for having doubted herself earlier.

After paying for the seeds and repeatedly thanking Abby and Pierre for their kindness, she took her slice of pumpkin pie and few odd snack bars to go so she could finish working. Her phone buzzed in her pockets, and she juggled food and grocery tote in order to answer it. 

_I convinced my friends to meet us at 6 for dinner and games. See you at the Stardrop! – Abby_

Andi responded with an emoji wearing sunglasses, and shoved her phone back into her pocket. There was a great deal to get done in four hours, but she was beginning to feel very welcome in this place, and for the first time in an excruciatingly long time, she felt that everything was going to be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to drop me questions in the comments! I know the story is just beginning, but I've got good plans in my head. And Andi is going to meet Sebastian finally in Chapter 3. Exciting. (:


	3. Dark Things

Andi chose to pull her hair up and wear a blazer over her plain navy dress. These were the only dressier clothes she had; the rest were tee shirts and jeans and overalls to wear while working in the mud and dust of her farm. She pulled her skirt down as far as it would go. She was a little bigger now than she had been when she bought it, and she wasn't thin to begin with, so it seemed to rise up in the front more than she remembered. She thought maybe it would be better to go in her normal clothes, and paced anxiously back and forth for a moment before deciding she looked fine. She smoothed her stray frizzy curls and nodded to her reflection in the mirror.

“We've got this,” she said aloud, then abruptly turned around, as if someone would have heard her. She shook her head, grabbed her phone and left in the direction of the Stardrop Saloon. It was quarter after five and it took awhile to walk there.

“Andi! Hey!” shouted Abby. It turned out that the Stardrop Saloon was more of a local gathering spot bar-combined-restaurant, and it had an interesting atmosphere. However, right as Andi walked in, all the folks at the bar turned to stare at her and she felt small under their gazes. There was a blonde woman to the left who paused mid-sip, looking more confused than the rest. A girl with long, red hair in the corner looked up from her sketchbook, charcoal still writing on the page. Andi waved and rushed off into the arcade on the right where Abby stood in the doorway.

“They were all staring at me, right? I'm not crazy?” Andi asked in a hushed tone. 

“Yep. You're going to have to go meet them sooner or later,” Abby answered, looking amused, “But first, please let me introduce you to my best friends in the entire world.”

At the pool table were two guys who looked like complete opposites of one another. They were absorbed in their game and didn't even notice Abby get up, let alone Andi's arrival. One who seemed to be losing pretty badly had spiky blond hair and wore a bright blue jacket covered in patches depicting the logos for rock bands. The other one gave Andi pause. He was a bit more handsome than the other folks in town and seemed to be misplaced in such calm surroundings. He had black hair that hung into his eyes on one side and wore an oversized black hoodie. He had a cigarette tucked behind one ear and, as he took his shot at pool, looked super focused.

“The one losing so badly is Sam. He's better at playing guitar than pool, apparently,” said Abby, and Sam looked shocked as he heard his name called.

“Oh I didn't see you there. Yeah, I'm Sam! You must be the girl who moved into that old shack in the woods everyone keeps talking about,” he said, grinning, “that is wicked cool.”

“Yup, that's me. I'm Andi!” she answered with a laugh, offering her hand.

Sam shook her hand and then placed his arms around her shoulders, walking her toward the black haired guy.

“Sebastian! Look, it's the new farmer girl. Her name is Andi,” Sam said with a laugh. 

“You let her go, Sam!” Abby scolded, also laughing.

Sebastian, however, didn't look too amused.

“Hello,” he said simply, before bending down to take another shot at pool.

“Uh, nice to meet you, Sebastian,” Andi said awkwardly. He looked up from under his hair and smiled ever so slightly. Andi felt her face flush. She looked down at her shoes, still caked in mud from working earlier. Abby touched her shoulder and appeared at her side.

“Oh, don't worry about it. Sebastian is shy. He lives in a basement in a cabin up on the mountain to prove a point,” Abby drawled. 

“Thank you, Abby,” Sebastian said sarcastically with a small laugh, “Annnd game.” Sebastian had hit the 8-ball off of the side of the table before it fell neatly into a pocket. He stood up straight and stretched his arms above his head, pool cue raised like a staff. 

“Aww man. I wasn't even watching! How is it that I always lose?” Sam said, placing his cue back on the rack below the table.

“Probably because you're never paying attention,” Abby trilled. Sam looked dejected for a moment, before he remembered that it was time for dinner. 

“Are we gonna order food now?” he asked, completely ignoring Abby's retort. 

“I'm actually headed out,” Sebastian said blandly, placing his pool cue under the table as well.

“Oh Seb, I promised Andi she could meet you today,” Abby whined.

“We met,” was his answer. “I'll...see you later.”

Andi watched as he walked out of the saloon and felt a little sad as he left.

“How rude,” Abby remarked, noticing Andi's expression. “No matter. One less person to buy dinner for.”

“He really is something else,” Sam grumbled, plopping down into a booth just on the other side of the arcade.

“Oh it's not a problem,” Andi said, barely convincing herself that she didn't really care. Besides, this had been the way city people behaved, and that was the way she was used to people being. She couldn't imagine why it stung to see someone treat her so coldly in spite of that.

They ordered food from a waitress with pretty sapphire blue hair named Emily who introduced Andi to everyone. There was Gus, the man she had seen earlier, master chef of the saloon. Pam was the lady already several beers deep. Leah was the artist, who was now doodling things and laughing with a writer named Elliott who had better hair than any man had a right to. Clint and Willy, the blacksmith and fisherman, respectively, sat chatting about work two tables over. Shane was the brooding man in the corner, playing Ruins Run on his phone and drinking alone. He barely looked away from the game when Emily introduced Andi, but besides that, everyone was friendly enough. 

After a moment, Elliott walked up to the table and asked to join them. He looked a little apprehensive, perhaps because he was a little bit older than Andi, Abby and Sam and they had been raucous for awhile now. 

“If you'll pardon me, miss,” he said, voice calm and polite, “you're new here and I was wondering if it would be okay to buy you a drink?”

“Thank you for asking!” Andi said, beaming, “And I wouldn't ask you to, but if you really want, sure. I've been drinking a nice blackberry wine Gus suggested.” 

Elliott nodded once, and waved Emily down. They all ordered their next rounds, and laughed together, sharing stories about town and the festivals that were coming up. Leah eventually joined them, showing the group her sketch of everyone drinking and laughing. Sam seemed particularly impressed, sitting close to her for awhile as she flipped through pages of the book. She tended to sketch close-up textures or plants and surrounding wildlife. Andi found herself drawn to a picture of a purple mushroom Leah had said she stumbled upon in the woods last Fall. 

Soon, people started filtering out of the restaurant. It had to have been getting pretty late. Abby yawned before she spoke.

“I think we had probably start getting back,” she said, and the company nodded in agreement. “Do you want me to walk with you back toward your farm?”

Andi was surprised at Abby's offer.

“Ah, sure, if you'd like. But the place is a little creepy at night.”

“I know. I used to sneak over there from time to time as a quick way to Sebastian's place. But if you're quiet enough and carry enough amethyst on you, those little spirits pay you no attention,” Abby answered. 

By now, Elliott, Sam and Leah were walking together out the door.

“BYE ABBY!” Sam yelled over his shoulder. 

“Bye, Sammy,” Abby said back, mock-sweetness lacing her voice. Sam threw his hands up in the air with exasperation and headed out, Elliott and Leah laughing all the way. 

Andi and Abby left with a nod to Gus and Emily. Andi scraped together whatever change she could and left it in the tip jar for them. After she could ship out some veggies, she'd be sure to stop back in and pay for her own meals and drinks. That Abby footed the bill was extremely generous – Andi made a mental note to make something nice and useful for her as a thank-you as soon as possible. 

The two of them walked home in relative silence. Abby was focused on the half-moon high in the sky and commented on how lucky they all were to be able to see the stars. 

“Yeah … I guess it is pretty lucky,” Andi responded, kicking at a rock in the path ahead of her, “It was always so messy and bright in the city.”

“My parents take me to see concerts and movies occasionally, I know how it can be. There's just something about all this wilderness I love, even so,” Abby answered with a nod. 

They passed the decrepit old bus and headed toward the entrance to Lunar Rose farm, sign broken and faded with peeling paint. 

“Can I tell you something?” Andi asked, slowing her pace. 

“What's up? Nervous of the little spirit things out here?”

“Well yes – but … last night, I saw something strange. There was a woman who was beautiful one second and wretched and green the next. She seemed to be controlling the golems as far as I could tell. I shined my flashlight on them and they sprouted little flowers and vines and stuff and backed away...but she...ugh, it was horrible,” Andi said, hugging her arms. Abby stopped and took off one of her many pendants. 

“Yeah, well...Stardew Valley has a huge draw for hedge-crossers, fortune tellers, witches...there's even a Wizard who lives directly in Cindersap forest. Even I get lost in my imagination and start to feel afraid of witches attacking, occasionally,” she said with a shrug, “But, he sold me this at the Spirit's Eve festival a few years back when I told him so. He said it'll protect me from bad magic. Ever since then, I've totally binge-collected tons of amethyst...so I can spare this one point, I think.”

She placed the pendant over Andi's head and gently pulled her hair out from under it. It was on a long, delicate silver chain with no clasp. Andi held it and found it was a perfectly polished amethyst point, drilled through the top and held in place by more silver. Inlaid on that was a beautiful white stone that caught the moonlight and flashed blue.

“This is beautiful! You don't have to give me this, you just met me!” Andi exclaimed, incredulous. 

“Well, you live in the wilderness, my friend. I don't need it as much, holed up in town with cobblestones protecting my feet from touching the grass,” she laughed, “Please, go ahead. Amethyst and rainbow moonstone to protect you froooom....witches!!” she said, exaggerating and feigning spookiness.

“Thank you so much, Abby. This is really awesome,” Andi said, still admiring how the moonlight caught the tiny inlaid moonstone just so.

“Ah, think nothing of it. Besides, the colors suit you so well, girl. Even farmers need a little accessorization if I do say so myself!” Abby laughed at her own comment, and the girls walked amicably down the winding path that led to Andi's house.

Sure enough, the plant golems were wandering the fields. Andi could just barely see their shadowy shapes in the gloom. She hung back, breath catching a little bit.

“Don't worry. You have a scythe on your porch, I can see it from here. It's gonna be fine. If any of them come too close, hit 'em and run,” Abby said almost offhand.

“I take it you fight monsters often?” 

“Are you kidding me!? Why do you think I wear so many different spells and gems, huh? To keep those things as far away as I can!” she said, too loudly for Andi's taste. The golems seemed to turn their stares toward her voice. It was eerie how they didn't even blink.

“I have a feeling I'll be a little less lucky,” Andi said, bracing herself as one approached. Abby hopped up the stairs and tossed the scythe down where it clattered to the cobblestone path.

“Get 'em, champ!” she laughed, “it's really not that dangerous. They crumble like dry mud.” 

Andi picked up the scythe, heart beating in her ears. A golem approached, keening again in that high pitched sound that unnerved her so. It shambled right at her, mossy arms outstretched as if to wind themselves around her. She exclaimed as she lunged out with her scythe, and indeed, it crumbled as if it were nothing more than dust. There was a sound like an exhale, and the wind carried away the dirt. What was left was a small pile of seeds, which Andi scooped up and put in her pocket. The other golems in her field did not approach. Andi wasn't sure if they were sentient to enough to know one of their ranks had fallen and not to mess with the crazy scythe-wielding farmer. She relaxed a little, and gripped onto the amethyst pendant she wore.

“See? Nothing to it,” Abby commented, checking her watch. “I do, however, have to get back. It's my turn to do some dishes, per Mom's request.”

“Well, thank you for everything, Abby!” Andi said, climbing the stairs and returning her scythe to the rack. “You'll have to visit this place during the day where you don't need to deal with monsters.”

“Oh, sure! And that reminds me, Momma Robin – that's Seb's mom – lives near Marlon who did go adventuring a lot when he and Mayor Lewis were so much younger,” Abby laughed, “and I could get him to stop by and give you some pointers if those little golems become a problem late at night. I have to run an errand for Dad tomorrow anyway.”

“That would be super cool. I'd love to meet him,” Andi said, knocking some mud off of her boots, “I'm usually up at daybreak so... the crack of dawn is the best time to visit the farm. Otherwise have him call ahead.”

“He doesn't do technology, unfortunately, and won't even use a gun for hunting monsters like some of the professional teams do overseas. I'll send him your way though, if he's feeling well enough for the hike! Trust me, he's cool company,” Abby said, hopping off the railing. She waved as she began walking the winding path back toward Pelican Town.

“Text me later, alright? And get home safe!” Andi shouted. Abby threw the sign of the horns up.

“Rock on, neighbor!” echoed as she rounded a corner out of sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh two updates so close together!? I'm on a roll here! (: Look for more soon. I am about to switch to Seb's perspective, probably, to see what he's thinking about Andi, if anything yet at all.


	4. Restless

Sebastian took the long way home, walking from the saloon towards the playground on the hill above Abby's house. It was already beginning to get dark, and that was just fine by him. He silenced his phone and shoved it into the pocket of his jeans. Yeah, he knew he had agreed to plans with Sam and Abby, but that didn't stop him feeling any less awkward when finally meeting the new farmer. 

She was beautiful, of course, at least in his opinion. That only made things weirder. He sighed, plucking random leaves off of the bushes as he walked aimless along the path that would eventually lead to his doorstep. 

It had been such a long time since anyone decided to move to the valley. The last one might have been Shane and his goddaughter, and he was worse at socializing than even Sebastian. It wasn't that Sebastian hated people – no – it was more that they drained his energy in a way that became exhausting. Even Sam and Abby, the only ones who could put up with his anxiety for very long, drained him. Hell, even his own family being in close quarters could be a bit much at times. It felt like a brick on his chest when he was stuck somewhere, not knowing what to say or how to feel useful in a conversation. Sometimes it was like all he did was take up space and his friends would throw him questions occasionally out of pity. 

Sebastian didn't really understand why he was like this. All he knew right now is that there was no way he'd let this new beautiful girl see him struggle along through the night. Instead, there was a calm walk home, the lake, and a cigarette or two. He'd have a few assignments from work to finish up through the night anyway, and really shouldn't have taken time away from that anyway. 

Mountain Lake stretched out in front of him as he stood and lit his cigarette. The orange glow of it reflected in the water alongside the stars and a glimmer of the moon. The water was calm without wind today and everything seemed so serene. Why then, did he feel like a storm was coming? He ashed his cigarette onto the ground and took another drag, trying to will the unease out of his body. 

He smoked through his cigarette and crushed the butt of it out under his heel before turning to walk back into his house. In the den, his mom and step dad were watching television. He heard some clinking in the room adjacent which meant Maru was hard at work at some machine or the next. They hadn't heard him come in, so he carefully closed the door and locked it, switching out the porch light. He had snacks in his room. He wouldn't bother shuffling around the kitchen at this hour. 

When he got to his room, Sebastian switched on his PC and checked his messages. There was a message from Abby asking if he was alright. He searched for a GIF featuring a cartoon witch laughing and sent it in response. He set his status to busy and opened his work folder. Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the amount that was coming up due, he closed the folder in favor of a video game instead. He slid on a pair of headphones and started up his favorite game.

_The Ancient Tomes V: Sky's Edge_ was the perfect fantasy game to get lost in. The giants should have respawned; a few in-game days had passed. Maybe he could snipe a few bandits on the way out of town, so long as several dragons didn't go on and attack. As long as he wasn't weighed down by all that stolen cheese, the battles would come easily. He grinned, slouched, and focused on the quests at hand.

After a couple of hours of gaming, Sebastian was finally beginning to feel calm to the point of tiredness. His alarm clock on his dresser stated it was one in the morning. He took a second to stretch before wandering over and collapsing on his bed. In the pitch darkness, he tried to focus on the plaster ceiling, anything, to keep Andi's face from just appearing again. 

What was her story, anyway? The most confusing part was why she'd want to be a farmer out in the middle of nowhere when she could have done anything, gone anywhere. Could've been a damn model, Sebastian thought. He turned his mind toward the city. He wondered if she'd ever been before; she didn't really seem like a country girl. She didn't really have the accent like Pam and Mayor Lewis did.

One day, he wanted to leave Pelican Town. He had lived here since he was a kid, sure, but he was from somewhere else his mom absolutely refused to talk about. But she didn't seem to miss it. In fact, he didn't know her side of the family at all. Maybe they were from Zuzu and she was afraid he'd find them. Who knew. He was overdue for a ride into the city anyway. The weather was going to be awful for riding the motorcycle next week – but after that, nobody could really stop him from visiting.  
He'd go in to the city, watch a movie by himself, take himself to lunch. Maybe even buy a few new sci-fi books. In the darkness, he grinned at the thought of escaping.

He tossed his phone back on his desk and rolled over to try and get some sleep. It didn't come easily. He found himself in a half-sleep, dreaming of strange cloaked figures, Andi picking flowers with monsters, Abby and Sam off to the side, snapping photos of her and the monsters for Quickstagram. As far as he looked in any direction there were stacks of computers piled amongst the trees. He tried to wake himself up, but felt paralyzed, unsure if he should be frightened... or not. 

Eventually he drifted off to sleep, the images fading into the background of his mind. Outside, in the distance, thunder rumbled and the low keening of some critter or another echoed out through the rain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huh, I wonder what the monsters represent here? (: 
> 
> Anyway, just a fun little chapter. I'll be resuming Andi's story in 5, and maybe we'll see what's been going through her mind after meeting everyone!
> 
> As always, feel free to comment or kudos or message me, especially if you have questions for me.


	5. Scales

Andi woke to the sound of a sharp knock at her door, followed by the tiniest mewling sound. A grin spread across her face at the sound of a cat that she all but sprang out of bed, almost forgetting a robe to throw over her pajamas. She slid her feet into some slippers and opened the door.

“Hi Neighbor,” said an older woman with thick, auburn hair wound into a beautiful french braid, “My name is Marnie! I live in the forest south east of your lake here.”

“I'm Andi! This is Lunar Rose Farm. Thanks for coming to visit it!” Andi said. The kitten at Marnie's feet mewed again and purred. It was an orange tabby with big, bright amber eyes. 

“Well, a stray was dropped off with me today and I figure – you're a new farmer. You could probably use a good cat around,” Marnie said with a warm smile.

“Absolutely! How old is he?” Andi said, stooping and petting the kitten, who purred louder and wound itself around Andi's legs. 

“She,” Marnie corrected, reaching down to scratch the little thing behind the ears, “She is about 9 weeks by my best guess. Would you like to give her a name?”

Andi was silent for a moment before she picked up the kitten. It snuggled right into the crook of her arm, purring contently. 

“Lyra. Like the stars. Just like me!” She decided.

“What constellation is named Andi?” Marnie said in a quiet, confused voice, petting the kitten and looking up at the sky, though it was a gray, cloudy day and the stars would not be visible.

“Andi is short for Andromeda.”

“How exotic! Andromeda and Lyra. Sounds perfect to me!” Marnie said with a small laugh, looking just slightly embarrassed.

Thunder rumbled again in the distance, which startled the rancher. 

“I had better get back. Rain just does nothing for my hair. Besides, the chickens will get riled up in this storm without me,” Marnie said. “It was nice meeting you, Miss Andi!” 

“Likewise! I'll stop by your ranch when the weather is a little more forgiving,” Andi said with a nod. Marnie left in a hurry as the first rain drops fell. Andi backed inside with the little orange kitten held in her arms and felt immediately more calm.

“Rain is good, little kitten,” she said, “Because I don't have to water a single thing! Isn't that great?”

Lyra meowed furtively, looking eagerly at the soft mass of blankets that was Andi's unmade bed. Andi set her down and watched as she settled in contentedly. First thing she'd have to do today is check with Pierre on the price of cat food.

Andi took a moment to create a quick breakfast out of the wild food that she had found on the way home from the Stardrop last night. Today was fried leeks seasoned with a little horseradish and served with a fresh salad of...even more fresh leeks and dandelions. Man, salmonberry season couldn't come quick enough. The food was good, however, and soon enough she felt ready to wander out in the rain. Her first thought was to maybe get down to the beach and check to see if the fishing shop was finally open. Both she and Lyra wouldn't mind a bit of good sashimi now and again, sure – but she definitely wasn't confident in her ability to actually fish. No matter, there was always room to learn a new skill after all. 

She pulled on a light windbreaker to protect against the rain as best as she could, slid into her farm boots and walked outside to check on her crops. All was well, except for one parsnip which had been torn up by crows. A little miffed, she opted to ask Robin for advice on building a sturdy scarecrow or something. 

The walk to Pierre's wasn't bad – just a bit muddy. When she got there, Abby was leaning over the counter, half reading a stack of printed paper, half paying attention to the door. 

“A customer!” she said without looking up, “How wonderful.”

“Uh, hi?” Andi asked tentatively. 

“Oh hey, Andi! Nice to see you,” Abby said, finally looking up from her reading, “I'm beta reading the rough draft of Elliott's sci-fi book and it's absolute garbage. It doesn't feel very inspired.”

“Oh dear,” Andi winced, “That's not good. But I hope the next draft is better.”

“Yeah, me too! Especially since I didn't know what I was getting into when he offered a case of pumpkin wine in exchange.”

Andi laughed a little as Abby shuffled through the papers and read aloud some of the passages.

“I mean...really, the idea is solid,” Abby said, “But just...just no! It's like he can't even write romance to save his life!”

“He probably can't,” Andi agreed almost hesitant to change the subject, “But all that said, I'm actually here to buy cat food so I don't have to go to JojaMart.” 

She told her about Lyra and Marnie's random visit that morning. Abby beamed and motioned for Andi to hang on for a second. She came back a few minutes later, struggling with a large bag.  
“Dad usually charges an arm and a leg for this but... I know you're broke. I saw the ledger, you potato fanatic!” Abby laughed. Andi grinned.

“Well, those potatoes are gonna make me rich, ya hear?” she joked. 

“I'm sure. But I'll cover this for you if you take it. I am honestly so tired of lugging it around and out of the way for inventory every Wednesday, I can't even tell you. We switched to the small boxes like a week ago and FINALLY,” she said, emphasizing the word, “My retail dreams came true.”

She didn't even wait for Andi's answer. She fished her wallet out of the pocket of her coat, rung up the cat food and dropped her own gold right into the register. It was a bit expensive and Andi stood there, mouth agape yet again at such kindness. As she was scribbling in the ledger and pinning the receipt to the books, Andi cleared her throat.

“Thank you! A hundred times over. Why is everyone being so nice?” She said, shocked. Abby did not waste a second, and laughed right at her. 

“Girl! You're not in Zuzu anymore, okay? Pelican Town was perfect when your grandpa ran that old farm and most of us just want it to go back that way. I'm too young to really know how it was then...but I know JojaMart has ruined pretty much everything. And you should know, even by now, I'm all about wasting the enemies,” she said, posing as if she were a fighter in an RPG. 

“Sounds fair,” Andi said, “And now I am tasked with this huge responsibility to fight the enemy with you.”

“You better believe it!” Abby said, laughing once again, “Now please hurry and take this cat food out of here before Lyra figures out she can simply hunt the field mice and ends up sharing some of them with you.” 

“Thanks for that not at all disgusting image,” Andi said with a grimace. Abby, of course, laughed right at her. 

Andi did, however, struggle to carry the huge bag back to her farm. She wasn't quite strong enough despite all the work in the field she had been doing and felt pretty tired by the time she got in her house. Lyra, of course, was excited for food. Andi found a chipped ceramic cereal bowl and fished a clean tupperware out of her bag and used that to feed the kitten. She pulled a spare shoelace out of its packaging and played with the kitten a little bit until she felt ready to head down to the beach. 

Despite the rain, an old sailor named Willy was there at the docks with a shiny new iridium fishing pole. He seemed relaxed, like this was quite possibly the only thing he could do for the rest of his life and still be happy. When she inquired if he knew when the fishing store would be open again, he gave her an old bamboo fishing pole and told her to stop by his shop regardless of season or weather. She stood baffled in the rain, but was grateful she didn't have to plan to save up for this, as well.

At the edge of the docks, there was a figure with black hair standing in the rain, smoke trailing up before each ash of the cigarette. Andi approached warily, wondering if Sebastian would just turn around and leave again. 

“Hey,” she said, walking up next to him and casting a line casually. He said nothing at first, just eyed her as she pretended she was good at fishing. 

“...Hey,” he answered, taking another puff of the cigarette. He crossed his other arm over his chest and tucked it under his elbow. “Nice weather we're having.”

“Sure is. Didn't have to water a thing myself,” Andi answered with as genuine a smile as she could muster. Sebastian dropped his cigarette, crushing it under his sneaker. 

“Most people hate the rain,” he commented. He didn't look up as he spoke and his voice was a little quiet. 

“You'd be right. But I suppose you're fine with it if you've been out here for a whole smoke,” Andi laughed. Sebastian smiled, but just barely. At that time, Andi felt a tug on her line and exclaimed, startling him into looking shocked. 

Whatever kind of fish this was, it put up a huge fight. Sebastian looked on in mild interest as she struggled to reel in the thing. As fast as she could reel, it was pulling out the line just as quick. Eventually it did, however, give up at least a little. 

Anticlimactic as it was, the smallest anchovy she'd ever seen popped out of the water, flopping around on the line. Andi couldn't hide her disappointment. Sebastian looked from the fish to her with wide eyes, and then burst into a fit of laughter. He doubled over and had to sit on the pier for a moment to catch his breath. Andi couldn't help but laugh right along with him after her surprise faded. 

“I'm sorry, Andi! Your face was priceless,” he said, still grinning ear to ear, “besides, I've never seen a fish that small.”

“Hey don't act like you weren't intrigued by the fight, there,” she said elbowing him a little. They both laughed again as Andi let the offended fish off the hook and tossed it back into the water. She pushed her sodden hair out of her face and moved to get up off of the pier. She looked over at Sebastian who seemed lost in thought. His hair was stuck to the side of his face now from all the rain.

“Listen – I apologize for walking out on you and everyone at the Stardrop. I had had a long day and I didn't mean to seem so rude,” he said, voice soft again. Andi stopped trying to leave and sat back down, leaning against a post. 

“I'm one hundred percent okay with that. I've been feeling a little overwhelmed at how forward everyone is in town. In the city, I was used to just going about my own business and being the homebody that I am, that was fine for me,” Andi answered, “so, I understand how it can be. Trust me. There's no longer day than one spent in the sun hunched over tiny plants, hoping they'll grow.” 

Sebastian nodded in agreement. He wrung out some water from the bottom of his sweatshirt before reaching for his pocket. He pulled out a phone regardless of the rain and tapped on the screen as the rain drops slid off of it. 

“Looks like it's going to rain on and off for the next couple of days. I hope that's good news for you and your plants,” he said, turning the phone so she could see. Andi grinned and carefully took the phone, scrolling through the forecast.

“Thank you for being the bearer of amazing news,” she said returning the phone. Sebastian smiled hugely. Then, as if he had been caught doing something terrible, he flipped what he could of his hair and turned away, resuming the stoic, thoughtful face she had seen before. 

“If you and I are the only ones who like the rain, maybe it wouldn't be too bad to run into you again out in this mess,” he said after a moment. He turned to her again with that small smile again that reached his eyes.

“Sure, I'd appreciate the company,” Andi said, somewhat surprised. Sebastian stretched a bit and then got up, offering her a hand.

“Just promise me you won't embarrass yourself trying to look cool catching anchovies next time, okay?” He said, laughing a little. Andi took his hand, and put on her toughest face.

“Sure. I'll show those little fish who's boss.” 

Sebastian laughed again, which Andi felt suited him more than the glum look he wore leaving the bar the other night. They walked together into Pelican Town, exchanging phone numbers quickly at the gates to the beach. 

“'Til next time, Sebastian!” Andi said, waving as she ran ahead in the rain. He waved back and watched her go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thanks for following along. Just a quick catch-up on Andi's day and a cute scene with our favorite emo kid.
> 
> I was on vacation over the weekend so writing time was limited, but I knew I wanted them to _really_ meet for the first time in the rain and I would take the chapter there however long it took between visits with family. It just felt right! 
> 
> So here we go! And keep an eye out for Sebastian's feelings on the chapter coming out shortly -- maybe not directly next because I feel there has to be some sort of chaos on the horizon... hmm.... (:


	6. Nimue

A goblin stood guarding a darkened house, passively fishing for a void salmon. Trees with curling, graying leaves cast shadows that loomed over the dying grass and the muddy water. There was a small passage through the dense trees where a breeze casually blew. As if from a nightmare, a gale rushed through, screaming on its way. 

The goblin was not startled; Nimue's transportation spells were not as clean as Monsieur Rasmodius's were. He looked up as a dark, shifting cloud of smoke barreled past him and into the cottage he guarded. He sighed, lifting himself up from the edge of the water. He stuck the pole into the ground and walked towards the door. 

Nimue sat exhausted at the unkempt table in the corner, her white hair awry and frizzy. It was like she couldn't keep her glamour spell on over her curse. The goblin did not know how to show concern on his face, but he understood that emotion and felt the pity growing in his core. 

“Madame,” he said calmly, though his voice croaked just so, “Reporting to you that all has been quiet here and I remain on duty through the evening if you require assistance.” 

“Her magic,” Nimue croaked back, but hers was less natural and more pained, “she has no idea.” She set her head down on the table, glamour briefly shifting back and forth so that the Goblin could see her cursed form, twisted and vile. 

“Rest awhile, Madame,” the goblin insisted, laying a clawed hand on her shoulder. He felt some of his own life energy drain as she inadvertently took from him what magic she needed for her glamour spell to remain intact. He knew this would happen, and still his knees felt weak like he would collapse. He flinched as with some effort he forced his hand away from her shoulder. 

Nimue sat up, frowning.

“Apologies, Marcellus,” she sighed, “I don't mean to be this way.” 

The goblin merely nodded and sat down in the chair opposite her. 

“Do you think the girl on the haunted land will be some sort of key? Is she the answer to the curse?”

“I doubt it. But flying near her, standing on her land – it is as if all the good in me drains away and all that is left is the curse. She crawls out from under my skin and all I see is darkness...”

Nimue crossed her arms and set her head down on the table again. 

“If I had only known what rage would bring me, I would have stayed far from those shadows,” she cried, voice muffled by her robes. Marcellus the goblin would have looked on at her with pity in his small, red eyes if only he could.

Some creatures born of the void only meant harm, rejecting all the power Yoba would otherwise bestow in favor of destruction. Nimue learned a hard lesson long ago. For what, exactly? 

Once there was a burning anger deep in the pit of her stomach, but now there harbored regret. It was all for revenge. And now, for her folly, she endured a whole other _other_ living inside, where her soul should be. Some days, no matter how strong her magic, it crowded her out, used her body to roam the land and curse whatever could be cursed. Not much was strong enough to push back against its torment. 

She couldn't go back to Rasmodius. His magic warded off creatures like the shadow that dwelt within. But the girl – if she was as strong as Nimue sensed, perhaps there could be some sort of answer. A link to be exploited between Rasmodius and her. There was no way the girl could go long without waltzing right into the magic that overflowed on the haunted land she now lived on. She had already tilled the land, became grounded.

Deep inside, the shadow curled around Nimue's heart, happy at the thoughts of exploiting yet another Witch. Nimue tried to push back, using all the strength she could. 

“Marcellus?” she croaked once again, “I think it best if you return to your post. You know what to do if my body tries to leave again. Do your worst.” 

“Absolutely, Madame,” the goblin said, solemn as he walked through the door and began to etch a holding charm into the dirt at the threshold. Inside, a vile screech erupted. Black smoke billowed from the chimney. An eerie green glow clouded the view inside through the windows. Outside, the goblin stood his ground, solemn look never once leaving his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! Sorry for the delay. It was my birthday weekend and I was busy baking for a celebration of it from like Thursday onward, thus cutting severely into my writing time. I have some more planned out and will be posting it soon! For now, I do hope you enjoy this mini update / introduction! :D


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